Portland Trailblazers wants former No.1 pick Anthony Bennett

Portland Trailblazers would like to sign Anthony Bennett in free agency instead of claiming him off waivers, though given their deficit beneath the $63MM salary floor, absorbing Bennett’s full salary wouldn’t necessarily cost the Blazers extra money. A waiver claim would surely be Minnesota’s preference, too, since the team would be off the hook for any money to Bennett in that situation.

Bennett and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to the buyout, and the team will release him soon. Portland has enough cap room to claim Bennett off waivers, but it’s not immediately clear if the Blazers plan to do so or prefer to chase him in free agency. The Sixers also have the cap room necessary to claim him, and the Cavaliers have a trade exception large enough to snag him off waivers, too, though it’s not clear if either of those teams have any such inclination.